Results from a new survey reveal the lack of protection many young Canadians are using, which has led to a rise of sexually transmitted infections (STIs).
Sexually transmitted infections are on the rise because young Canadians are not using adequate protection, according to results from a new survey.
Condom brand Trojan, in partnership with the Sex Information and Education Council of Canada (SIECCAN) conducted a survey on sexual health among Canadian university students, ranging from the ages of 18-24 years old.
The findings of the survey indicate that young adults are often subject to not using condoms, the only method of birth control proven to protect people against STIs.
The results of this year’s survey are largely similar to a survey conducted in 2013,
said Dr. Robin Milhausen, a sexuality and relationships researcher at the University of Guelph and an investigator on the survey.
This year’s survey was aimed at determining trends in sexual health behaviours among college and university students in Canada, covering a range of topics such as condom use, factors associated with sexual pleasure and satisfaction, and sexual health information needs among the demographic.
Milhausen said students report using condoms about half of the time, a number that has not gone up in the past six years.
According to Milhausen, many believe that people ditch the use of condoms in casual sex situations, but the survey indicated that partners who already know each other are less likely to use a condom.
“We have to start associating condom use with people we are involved with, people we like and trust, rather than thinking condoms are only for use in more risky, casual sex situations,” Milhausen said.
Dr. Alex McKay, executive director of SIECCAN agreed with the survey results, but said he was disappointed that the rate of STIs has risen.
He also said he believes that it’s in monogamous relationships that young adults tend to not use protection, due to the lack of knowledge surrounding the way STIs are transmitted.
“People who choose to be in monogamous relationships think they don’t need to use protection because they’re with the same person, but that is not the case,” McKay said.
He added it is important to raise greater awareness about STIs and the need to increase safer sex practices among college and university students in Canada.
The survey results indicated that 65 per cent of women and 50 per cent of men said they were “not very” or “not at all concerned” about getting an STI, a number that envelopes both half of female and male students.
The lack of information available to students regarding STIs is a reason why third-year University of Guelph human kinetics student Isa Valla believes the use of condoms is not always enforced among his age group.
“This kind of information isn’t readily taught in schools, so I think people are just overall uninformed and unable to make good decisions when it comes to protecting themselves,” Valla said.
Jenna Lalani, a third-year English student at Queen’s University adds financial barriers may be blocking young Canadians from the use of condoms as well.
“Condoms are incredibly expensive, and not always easy to access, and in a fast-paced situation they are not always available,” Lalani said.
Although the results of the survey indicate over half of the women and men surveyed said their sexual experience was pleasurable regardless of whether a condom was used or not, students agree that a stigma surrounding condoms exists.
Enaara Vastani, a fourth-year psychology student at Carleton said that since many girls choose to take oral contraceptives, the need for a condom is not always acknowledged.
“The pill is the woman’s thing and the rubber is the man’s. And then people don’t push for condoms because it ‘feels better’ without them,” Vastani said.
According to Dr. Milhausen, there is work to be done regarding the protection of sexual health among young people.
“We need to keep working on finding ways that young people can protect their sexual health, as well as engage in pleasurable sexual activity,” she said.
Feature image by Paloma Callo.
